帖撒羅尼迦前書 4
上帝所悅納的生活
1 末了，弟兄們，我們靠著主耶穌求你們，勸你們，既然你們領受了我們的教導，知道該怎樣行事為人，討上帝的喜悅，其實你們也正這樣行，我勸你們要更加努力。 2 你們原知道，我們憑主耶穌傳給你們甚麼命令。 3 上帝的旨意就是要你們成為聖潔，遠避淫行； 4 要你們各人知道怎樣用聖潔、尊貴控制自己的身體 t， 5 不放縱私慾的邪情，像不認識上帝的外邦人。 6 不准有人在這事上越軌，佔他弟兄的便宜；因為這一類的事，主必報應，正如我預先對你們說過，又切切警告過你們的。 7 上帝召我們本不是要我們沾染污穢，而是要我們聖潔。 8 所以，那棄絕這教導的不是棄絕人，而是棄絕那把自己的聖靈賜給你們的上帝。
9 有關弟兄間的手足之情，不用人寫信給你們，因為你們自己蒙了上帝的教導要彼此相愛。 10 你們向全馬其頓的眾弟兄固然是這樣行，但我勸弟兄們要更加努力。 11 要立志過安靜的生活，管自己的事，親手t做工，正如我們從前吩咐你們的， 12 好使你們的行為能得外人的尊敬，同時也不依賴任何人。
主的再臨
13 弟兄們，至於已睡了的人，我們不願意你們不知道，恐怕你們憂傷，像那些沒有指望的人一樣。 14 既然我們信耶穌死了，復活了，那些已經在耶穌裏睡了的人，上帝也必將他們與耶穌一同帶來。
15 我們照主的話告訴你們一件事：我們這活著還存留到主來臨的人，絕不會在那已經睡了的人之先。 16 因為，召集令一發，天使長的呼聲一叫，上帝的號角一吹，主必親自從天降臨；那在基督裏死了的人必先復活， 17 然後我們這些活著還存留的人必和他們一同被提到雲裏，在空中與主相會。這樣，我們就要和主永遠同在。 18 所以，你們當用這些話彼此勸勉。
1 THESSALONIANS 4
A Life That Pleases God
1 Finally, my dear friends, since you belong to the Lord Jesus, we beg and urge you to live as we taught you. Then you will please God. You are already living that way, but try even harder. 2 Remember the instructions we gave you as followers of the Lord Jesus. 3 God wants you to be holy, so don't be immoral in matters of sex. 4 Respect and honor your wife.t 5 Don't be a slave of your desires or live like people who don't know God. 6 You must not cheat any of the Lord's followers in matters of sex.t Remember, we warned you that he punishes everyone who does such things. 7 God didn't choose you to be filthy, but to be pure.
8 So if you don't obey these rules, you are not really disobeying us. Instead, you are disobeying God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
9 We don't have to write you about the need to love each other. God has taught you to do this, 10 and you already have shown your love for all his people in Macedonia. But, my dear friends, we ask you to do even more. 11 Try your best to live quietly, to mind your own business, and to work hard, just as we taught you to do.
12 t Then you will be respected by people who are not followers of the Lord, and you won't have to depend on anyone.The Lord's Coming
13 My friends, we want you to understand how it will be for those followers who have already died. Then you won't grieve over them and be like people who don't have any hope. 14 We believe Jesus died and was raised to life. We also believe that when God brings Jesus back again, he will bring with him all who had faith in Jesus before they died.
15 t t Our Lord Jesus told us that when he comes, we won't go up to meet him ahead of his followers who have already died.
16 t With a loud command and with the shout of the chief angel and a blast of God's trumpet, the Lord will return from heaven. Then those who had faith in Christ before they died will be raised to life. 17 Next, all of us who are still alive will be taken up into the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the sky. From that time on we will all be with the Lord forever. 18 Encourage each other with these words.